Wireless Philly Costs You Almost $2

Crack Metro reporter Josh Cornfeld continues on the Wireless Philadelphia beat today, which is way more interesting than whatever beat I used to poke fun at him for being on. (I’ve done too many posts — this is post No. 7,338 — to remember what that was.)

He has quite the scoop: Apparently, this whole free wi-fi thing wasn’t all that free for the city. (Shocking.) Ha ha, whoops, it actually has cost the city $2.6 million so far, including lots and lots of consultant fees so Dianah Neff could answer questions on Philly Future. Or something like that. Two-point-six mil would equal somewhere close to $2 a person in this city. (I don’t understand finances.)

Aside from the loan, the city has also paid technology consulting company Strategic Staffing Solutions $571,279 since 2004 and $463,000 to Civitium. Civitium has since hired Dianah Neff, who proposed the network as Street’s Chief Information Officer.

While Earthlink apparently wants to pull out, Wireless Philadelphia is going to go kicking and screaming to the grave, it seems, or possibly rise again like the Phoenix.

Reason #34 To Love Philadelphia: Free Internet

From Earthlink’s press release sent out yesterday:

Ring the Liberty Bell! EarthLink (NASDAQ: ELNK) is in the spirit of giving! Today, the ISP is kicking off a service that will give Philadelphia residents, workers and visitors an opportunity to try on its EarthLink Wi-FiSM product free-of-charge through January 21, 2007.

Available to consumers who live, work or visit EarthLink’s 15-square-mile proof-of-concept (POC) area, which extends east of Broad Street and north of the Vine Street Expressway, EarthLink Wi-Fi offers down-and-upload speeds up to 1Mbps.

Yes, ring the Liberty Bell! That makes a lot of sense!

But, hey: Free Intetnet in Center City! Let the massive porn downloading begin. Full release after the jump.

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